Scuff plate



C. B. DOTY SCUFF PLATE July 23, 1940. j

Filed May 22, 1939 5717 2/47 3 1 2 B Y W e ATTO NEKS.

, 4 7 I I I. "Iv nhv MfdMM vi am; July 23, 1940 SCUFF PLATE Clifford B. Doty, Detroit, Mich, assignor to B rss Manufacturing Company, Detroit,

-Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 22, 1939, Serial No. 274,926 10 Claims. (01. 296-28) This invention relates to vehicle bodiesand particularly to a scufl plate unit or assembly adapted to be applied to the door sill of the body at the lower edge of the door opening.

An object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, inexpensive and ornamental unit of the foregoing character in which the parts of the unit are capable of easy assembly, and in which the assembled unit is capable of easy and quick application to the vehicle.

A further object is to provide a scuff plate assembly comprising a supporting member and a face or escutcheon plate adapted to cover an exposed portion of the supporting member and providing means to overlie and hold down the edge of the floor covering at the door sill.

A further object is to provide a two-part scuif plate assembly comprising a supporting member which may be mounted upon the door sill and which has an upstanding wall preferably bent inwardly to overlie the edge ofa floor covering, and also comprising a face or escutcheon plate adapted to clasp or embrace the wall, such as by means of interlocking or interfltting parts, and

- wherein the face plate is preferably provided with a depending skirt capable of concealing an exposed portion of the body sill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scufi plate unit which is ornamental in character and which serves to conceal the edge of the floor covering within the door opening and to also conceal a portion of the adjacent frame member within the door opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scuff plate assembly of the foregoing type in which the supporting member thereof is formed of relatively stiff heavy gage metal and in which the face plate of the assembly is formed of relatively lighter gage and more flexible metal.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an automobile equipped with the improved scuff plate in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the scufi plate embodying one form of the present invention direction to provide a backing wall 33. The top and shown in Fig. 2, illustrating in broken lines one method of assembling the component parts of the soul! plate.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a somewhat modified form of soul! plate structure; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the scufl plate of Fig. 4.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is ,not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive thereof wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, i0 represents a longitudinal frame member of the vehicle body which has a substantially horizontal inwardly directed flange H to which the vehicle body floor'may be attached. A door sill member of the body is shown as a whole at l2 and includes an upright leg portion or section l3 and a substantially horizontally disposed extension or flange M which overlies and rests upon the flange l I. The door herein illustrated is shown as a whole at l5 and comprises an outer panel. [6 having a lower extension and an inner panel H which is joined at its lower end to the outer panel. A trim panel I8 is applied to the exposed face of the inner panel H in conventional manner. The lower extensions of the inner and outer panels where joined serve to support a rubber or other flexible sealing strip or member I!) which, as shown, abuts the'outer adjacent face of the frame member or sill l2 and is deformed when the door is in closed position as shown. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the trim panel I8 is provided with a windlace 20 which, abuts a portion of the scufl plate as will be seen hereinafter.

The scufi plate unit is indicated as a whole at A and comprises, as shown, a supporting member provided with a substantially horizontal base 3|! having an arched rib portion 3| providing an underlying groove or channel. The support, as shown, is bent upon itself to provide a double wall fold orflange .32 and extends in an upward portion of the wall I! is crowned or arched at 3 and terminates in a downwardly and inwardly directed edge 88. As shown in Fig. 2, the carpet or other floor 5 covering 40 rests upon the base'tii of the scuff plate support, the base of the support having been preferably flrst attached to the flanges II and ii by a series of nails, screws, or the like 38. The face or escutcheon plate of the present embodiment comprises, as shown, an upright portion or section 50 having an integral curved or crowned portion 5| which terminates in an inwardly directed edge flange or lip 62. As seen in broken lines, Fig. 3, the scufl plate or member has an integral return bent flange 53 which extends substantially perpendicularly to the portion 50 and is extended to provide a convex or bowed skirt section it which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, curves outwardly and downwardly and to then slightly inwardly with respect to the frame members Ill and I2, and terminates in a free edge 88.

As indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, one manner of assembling the scufl' plate proper with 5 the supporting member of the unit A is by hooking the longitudinal edge flange 52 over the free longitudinal edge 35 of the support, pressing the body portion to of the scufl! plate inwardly to bring the flange it into position beneath the so portions 3| and 32 of the support and then pressing or rolling the flange 53 upwardly and outwardly with relation to the base 30 so that it will clinch or tightly engage the flange 32 of the support, assuming the position in which it is shown in full lines at 53a in Fig. 3. The assembled parts forming the scat! plate unit of the present form of the invention may then be applied to the sill flange II and secured thereto by the screws or nails 36. In this position, the o convexly curved depending skirt or lower section 54 of the scuif plate overlies and conceals the portion it of the sill member with its lower edge 55 preferably contacting the outer face of said portion in such manner as to hold the skirt in flexed or sprung condition. Thus the scuff plate not only serves as an ornamental member to conceal the edge of the floor covering 40 and to maintain said covering in smooth condition adjacent the door opening, but likewise covers 50 and conceals the upright upper portion it of the sill. If desirable, stainless steel may be employed to make the scuff or face plate, although other metals can be used and chrome plated or lacquered in a color which blends or harmonizes u with the body flnish.

While one method of assembling the scuff plate with its support has been illustrated in Fig. 3. it will be'understood that the curved flange such as that shown at ila'can be formed prior '0 to the assembly of the supporting member and the two members assembled, by telescoping one over the other.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a somewhat 'modifled form of scufl. plate unit embodying the present inven- 55 tion is illustrated and, as stated above, in this embodiment the trim panel I! is provided with the windlace which, when the door is closed as shown in Fig. 4, is wedged or compressed between the adjacent face of the inner panel l1 7" and the upper portion of the soul! plate and its support. As in the preceding form, the remaining portions of the door and the vehicle frame members l0, l2, etc., are identical. The soul! plate of the present form is shown as a whole 7 It 3.

The supporting member of the soul! plate unit of Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a base I which is formed with a curved rib portion Iii providing an underlying longitudinal recess or pocket Illa. The rib i3! terminates at the point I82 and the I metal is bent in a reverse direction to provide an upright integral portion Ill, and a convex, arched or. crowned portion IN which terminates in a free edge I". The arched portion I I4 and the edge I are spaced above and overlie the i0 portions I30 and "I. I

The soul! or face plate proper of the unit of the present form of the invention comprises a metal plate having a straight portion or section I", a convexly curved or crowned portion ll l5l and an inturned longitudinal flange or lip I52. The metals! the plate is bent or formed to provide a longitudinally extending substantially U-shaped bead or rib Ill. The lower leg or portion I531: of the bead I" is extended out- M wardly and downwardly to provide a skirt I and terminates in an inwardly directed free edge I55.

There is illustrated in broken lines, Fig. 5, one

' method of applying the scuff plate of the unit to lo the supporting member therefor. The flanged edge I52 is hooked over the edge I l! of the support and the plate is pressed or forced inwardly toward the support as indicated by the arrow. The wall and the rib or bead I83, Illa will 80 flex or spring suiiiciently to permit the bead to pass the edge In of the supporting member and cause the bead III to be snapped into place within the recess Illa andyieldingly held in position as shown in Fig. 5. In this position, reas ierring particularly to Fig. 4, the lower edge I" of the plate member will engage the upright portionll of the sill member. Thus the support and the edge of the floor covering II will be entirely concealed from view and the portion Ill 0 of the plate will conceal a major part of the upright portion it of the sill.

The unit of Figs. 4 and 5 is preferably applied to the vehicle body of securing the base Ill of the support to the flanges Ii and I4 by means 45 of nails or screws I. The plate is then applied to the support in the manner above described. It will be seen, Fig. 4, that the flange or angularly disposed lip I52 will rest upon the floor covering ll. Theunitwillthusservetomaintaintheso floor covering in place at the door opening as well' as to conceal the edge of the floor covering.

It will be understood that the support and the plate of Figs. 4 and 5 may be assembled in other ways than that above described. For example, 55 the parts could be telescoped over one another by sliding the plate longitudinally relatively to the support prior to the application of the unit to the vehicle body.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the so scufl plate member of the unit may be assembled with and attached to the supporting member of the unit by merely snapping it into place. It will be seen that the supportingmember may be formed of relatively stifl heavy gage metal as whereas the face plate may be formed of relatively light gage sprlngy metal. 'Ihis permits the ready application of the soul! plate to its 990 1?- While it is intended in practice that the face plate and the supported member therefor of both forms of the present invention will remain together as a unit once they have been assembled, it is to be noted that by virtue of the formation of the scuff plate and its supporting memg her as shown in Fig. 5, it is-possible to remove the plate from its support by prying it loose from its support.

I claim:

1. A scufi plate for a vehicle door opening, comprising a support adapted to be mounted on the sill and having a portion adapted to overlie an edge of the floor covering, and a face plate carried by said support, said support and face plate having cooperating interfltting means for holding them together as a unit and said face plate having a skirt extended downwardly from the support and concealing a portion of said sill.

2. A scuff plate comprising a support adapted to be mounted upon a vehicle body sill at a door opening thereof and comprising an upright backing portion, and an escutcheon plate covering the outer face of the backing portion and interlocked therewith, said backing portion being extended inwardly pf the sill to overlie the edge of a floor covering and .said escutcheon plate having a flexible skirt extended downwardly below said backing portion and concealinga portion of said body sill.

3. A scuff plate unit for a vehicle door opening, comprising a support for mounting upon a frame member of the vehicle, said support having a base portion and an upright extension, and a face plate attached to and carried by said support, said face plate having a portion engaging said upright extension and a skirt portion engaging said frame member.

4. A scuff plate unit for a vehicle door opening, comprising a support for mounting upon a frame member of the vehicle, said support having a baseportion and an upright portion, and afaceplate attached to and carried by said support, said face plate having. a portion engaging the upright portion of the support and a skirt I crowned portion being spaced from and overlying said base portion, and an ornamental memmember having a'dependingv skirt portion extending downwardly from said base portion and concealing a portion of said frame member.

6. In a scuff plate unit for a vehicle door opening, the combination of an elongated support for mounting upon a frame member of the vehicle, said support having a base and an upright integral extension, and a face plate carried by the support, said face plate having a portion extending upwardly above said base and covering said extension, said face plate also having a depending skirt portion extending below said base and engaging said frame member, said base having a recess formed therein and said plate having a flange engaging said recess to hold the parts together. V

'7. A scuff plate assembly for a vehicle door opening comprising a support for mounting upon a frame member of the vehicle, said support having a base portion and an upright wall extended inwardly in spaced relation to the base portion to provide a free edge engageable with a floor covering, and a face plate attached to and carried by said support, said face plate having a-portion covering said wall and a depending skirt portion adapted to engage and conceal a part of said frame member, said support having a longitudinally extending recess formed therein and said plate having a longitudinally extending rib engaging said recess'to hold the parts together.

8. A scuff plate assembly according to claim?! in which the face plate has an edge flange hooked over the free edge of said wall and in which said rib is forced into the recess by spring action to releasably interlock the parts together.

9. A scuif plate assembly according to claim 7 in which said rib is bent up into the recess. to

interlock the parts together.

10. A scuff plate assembly comprising a supporting member adapted to be mounted upon a vehicle body sill and provided with an upstanding wall extended inwardly in spaced relation to the sill to overlie the edge of a floor covering, and a face plate attached to said member and cover--, ing said wall, said face plate having an upper portion substantially coextensive with said wall and a lower portion providing a flexible depending skirt.

CLIFFORD B. DO'ITY. 

